National Get Outdoors Day

As the school year ends and summertime approaches, kids will soon find themselves with much more free time on their hands. The television, computer and cell phone will taunt them to stay indoors, which is why International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) and the Voice of Play want to promote activities and ideas that get kids (and parents!) outside.

For example, the Eighth Annual National Get Outdoors Day (GO Day) is right around the corner, and partners from federal agencies, nonprofits and recreation organizations are preparing for “active fun” event areas across the country. On Saturday, June 13, 173 different locations will offer unique outdoor activities, like geocaching and pitching a tent, as well as educational experiences about sustainability and nutrition.

According to the creators of GO Day, “…kids are less connected to the outdoors than any previous generation. Six and a half hours a day [is] spent watching screens. [Kids are] six times more likely to play a computer game than ride a bike [and] four times more likely to be obese than the previous generation.”

These numbers are certainly alarming, and it is why families need to work together to bring the excitement back into outdoor play. What better way to start than by taking part in GO Day?

To find a National Get Outdoors Day event near you, check out www.nationalgetoutdoorsday.org/locations. Don’t have one nearby? Plan your own Get Outdoors Day right in your own backyard, at your local playground or with neighborhood friends!

So, how will you and your family make the most out of Get Outdoors Day?

Last year, the National Park Service hosted a National Get Outdoors Day Event in Fort Vancouver, WA to educate children on how “…survival skills of trappers in the 1840s have become recreational pursuits today.” Their event also included disc golf, fishing, archery and tips on hiking, backpacking, gardening and more.